1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to vehicle front end battery support structures. More specifically, battery support structures constructed from a tubular material for supporting a battery within the engine compartment.
2. Background Art
Light and medium duty vehicles powered by a combustion engine often use lead acid batteries to store energy for operating electrical accessories. The battery is usually carried in a receptacle or a tray located within the vehicle's engine compartment. In most light duty vehicles, the tray is supported by a sheet metal structure that is generally secured to the frame or body panel within the front end assembly.
Conventional front end assemblies are often made by stamping and welding together several individual frame components. As each of the frame parts are attached to form subassemblies and then are attached to the body portion of the vehicle, it becomes more costly to assemble and increases the weight of the front end without enhancing the structure. The additional costs include plant assembly complexity and additional fasteners.
Hydroformed tubular elements are increasingly being used in the construction of vehicle front end structures. Hydroforming is a metal forming process that uses high pressure fluids to outwardly expand tubular blanks to conform with the surfaces of a die cavity of a die assembly to form a contoured hydroformed part. The walls of hydroformed members are uniformly work hardened and result in higher strength parts. Although a number of prior art inventions describe the use of tubular members in hybrid front end assemblies, few have taken full advantage of the opportunities available.
To ensure safe operation of the vehicle, the battery support structure is often large and of sufficient mass to create packaging challenges within engine compartment. In addition, medium and heavy duty vehicle applications often require a second battery and its corresponding sheet metal structure to meet the operating needs of the vehicle. The additional weight associated with the battery support structure can exceed vehicle weight targets set for improving fuel economy in the light duty and medium duty truck segment. Therefore, there exists a need in the industry for a battery support structure that safely supports a battery, which minimizes its impact on packaging within the engine compartment, and adds minimal weight to the vehicle.